Talk:Welterweight

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The Term "Welter"?[edit]

So where did this term originate? 146.235.66.52 (talk) 18:52, 5 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I wonder the same thing, but to me it has always almost been an assumption that we get the name from the German "Welt," meaning "world." "World-weight." That's what seems most likely to me, though in that case it should properly be pronounced "Velter-weight," and there could be numerous explanations for the name. For example, that it includes what is probably the most common weight class worldwide, thus, "world-weight." Just a thought. 216.185.250.92 (talk) 04:26, 22 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I came here for the same reason. Looking around the net, I'm afraid the etymology is unknown. Most sources say the term came to fighting from horse racing. There are some mentions of an actual weight called a welterweight: "a weight of 28 pounds; sometimes imposed as a handicap in a horse race (such as a steeple chase or hurdle race)". Other sources say a welterweight is a heavy jockey or horseman. But nobody knows where the word "welter" comes from. It could be "welt", either as a verb ("to beat") or as a noun ("a wound"). It could be "welteren" ("to roll/fold/turn"). Or as you say "Welt" as in "world". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.67.109.183 (talk) 11:35, 29 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]